James Collins makes jaw-dropping claim about West Ham player he says was more gifted than Dimitri Payet

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Legend James Collins has made a claim that will blow the minds of West Ham United fans.

Fortune’s not always hiding but West Ham don’t owe anyone an apology

Dimitri Payet is regarded as the most talented players ever to have graced West Ham.

His mercurial talent ignited West Ham and the Premier League.

The love affair that ended too soon

They were 18 magical months but the love affair ended all too soon.

Payet went AWOL to force a move back to Marseille.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Remarkably, though, West Ham favourite Collins – affectionately known as the Ginger Pele – claims Payet was not as talented as Ravel Morrison.

West Ham fans know Morrison was a top talent. They saw as much when he broke into the team for a brief spell under Sam Allardyce.

Sir Alex Ferguson once said Morrison was the best talent he had ever seen (MEN).

Payet unreal but Ravel was the most talented player he ever played with

And it seems Collins agrees.

Speaking on the latest episode of West Ham YouTube show Inside Irons, Collins said Morrison was more gifted than Payet.

“I loved playing with Payet, obviously what went on it might not go down too well, but he was phenomenal,” Collins said on Inside Irons.

“What he was doing in games was unbelievable. Yossi Benayoun was the same, incredible football player.

“But someone that you might not think I’d say, Ravel Morrison. I know he didn’t play a lot (so) what we all knew he had we didn’t see.

‘What he did to players on a regular basis was illegal’

“But what he was doing to players in training on a regular basis was illegal.

“You’d get locked up for some of the stuff he’d do to players. He could nutmeg you, he’d go round you and he’d laugh at you.

“I remember Matty Etherington came back under Big Sam, just to train… I remember driving home and obviously I’m still close with Matty and he phoned me up on the way home and went ‘I think I’ve just witnessed one of the most technically best players I’ve ever seen’ as in Ravel – he hadn’t seen him before.

“Ravel was something different.”

What a shame Morrison has never fulfilled his undoubted potential.

But we’ll always have Spurs away.

Moyes continues West Ham mission with January move for Cresswell successor – report